Senior third baseman Tisha Duran earned her first career Big West Conference Player of the Week honor after the Ventura native led the Gauchos to three consecutive home wins at UCSB’s Softball by the Beach Tournament.{mosimage}
Duran’s weekend started with a bang as the former Ventura College and Buena High star knocked home the game’s only run in a 1-0 win over Portland State on Friday. She then exploded for three hits in as many at-bats the next day against St. John’s.
During her 3-for-3 showing against the Red Storm, Duran hit a home run, a double and tallied two RBIs. She then wrapped up the tournament by going 2-for-3 with another homer, three RBIs, and two runs scored in the second game of the weekend against the Vikings.
For the week, Duran batted .667 (6-for-9) with two home runs, six RBI, and three runs scored. Before Monday’s games against St. John’s, she ranked second in the Big West in batting (.474) and had driven in 16 of the Gauchos’ 35 runs so far in 2008. Following Monday’s doubleheader, the 2007 All-Big West First Team selection leads the team with her .488 batting average and 20 RBI.
Lisa Skvarla is UCSB’s assistant media relations director.
